Evie Duggan's life hasn't been sedate and quite. Born a poor Irish girl in a broken family, she had to fight for everything she wanted, nothing was simply given to her. She went through a lot of phases - the eldest child in her family who was responsible for her younger siblings, the Covent Garden actress desired by many, the famous courtesan man fought over, and lastly the widowed countess seeking peace in the country.

As everybody knows, the true path to being accepted in a small village begins with regular attendance to the church. Her thought from the first visit:

She had a horror of boredom. She was positively gifted at avoiding it. Likely some instinct for self-preservation had kept her from churches until now.

Well, at least the vicar is handsome, although he wasn't too happy with her, you know since she slept through his sermon. :D

Anyway, the first time she saw him, there was just something about him:

If he were an angel, surely he'd be the fallen sort.

She suspected he was a man with secrets, and she ought to know.

Vicar Adam Sylvaine knows he needs to stay far away from the notorious countess. His livelihood depends on people liking him, and evolving himself with Evie would definitely hurt his standing.

But still, she tempts him.

"Have you any vices, Mr. Sylvaine?" Her tone implied that she sincerely hoped he did, that she would be understanding and forgiving, would indeed find them fascinating, and that her own would nicely complement his.

I loved the book. Adam and Evie are so perfect for each other. And the entire forbidden love aspect was delicious.

Adam was great. The burdens placed onto his back by the members of his parish are heavy, and yet he doesn't buckle under the pressure. And then there's the way he treats Evie - unlike so many other, he's willing to get to know who she really is, and not to simply judge her based on her past. He did have a moment or two when he said bad things to her, things that were meant to hurt, but that simply makes him human.

Evie, the way that she made a life for herself is truly admirable. True, it's a path that nearly ruined her, but she did what she had to, so that her family could survive. It's lovely to see her fall for Adam, to see her finally experience love in all it's glory.

And then there are the various people living in Pennyroyal Green. Not just the Everseas and Redmonds, there are just so many great people. There are those who judgmental and mean, but the good ones make up for it. Pennyroyal Green surely sounds like a terrific place to live in.

All in all, an amazing book. In fact, the entire series was a true pleasure to read. Highly recommended!

PS The pictures aren't really related to the book, except for the time period they originate from. I'm simply trying to (somehow) justify my Pinterest board with the fashion from the past. :D